Surface energetics in a heteroepitaxial model system: Co/Cu(111)

The first stages of the growth of Co on Cu(111) are studied by means of scanning tunneling microscopy. By measuring island densities for several deposition rates, information about the diffusion coefficient on the terraces is extracted. The barrier for edge diffusion is estimated from the shape of the islands. Finally, the relevant Ehrlich-Schwoebel barriers for interlayer mass transport are estimated from the onset of step-flow growth mode and top layer nucleation density. The barriers are determined by comparison with simple physical models. The implications of the figures obtained for the heteroepitaxial Co/Cu(111) system are discussed.